A Late Night
by hughville
Summary: House and Cameron have some fun and talk while working late. Takes place during Season 6 and contains some spoilers.


Cameron felt something small and damp land against her cheek. She looked down at the table and saw a tiny wad of paper. Looking down at the end of the table, she saw House looking around with a comically innocent look on his face. She sighed and turned her attention back to the file in front of her. Another tiny spitball hit her and she looked up quickly to see House drop his hand beneath the table. He squinted and looked up at the ceiling. She covered her mouth with her hand to hide the smile that curved her lips. She looked back down and waited. A minute or so later, another spitball hit her. She placed both hands on the table and rose. Walking slowly to the end of the table where House sat, she held out her hand.

"Straw. Now," she ordered.

House huffed in annoyance. "Aww, Mom," he whined. "You're no fun." He slapped the straw into her hand and looked up at her with an exaggerated pout.

"Paper," she said.

He groaned and put the torn bits of paper in her hand.

"All of it."

House clicked his tongue and dropped the remainder of the paper in her hand.

"Behave," she admonished as she walked back to her chair.

"Marriage has made you mean," he grumbled.

She settled back in her chair and dropped the straw and paper on the table in front of her. "We're stuck here all night monitoring the patient. I'm not going to sit here and be pelted with spitballs."

"Let's go booby trap Wilson's office," he suggested with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"No."

"Spoil sport. Seriously, you were more fun before you married the Aussie."

"And you are still as immature as you ever were."

"I'm bored," House whined.

"Go look at porn on your computer if you're so bored," she told him, turning her attention back to the file she had been reading.

"Let's go throw things off the balcony," House whispered in her ear. He'd moved so quietly, she hadn't realized he'd gotten up. She shivered as his warm breath touched her skin. The scent of him was intoxicating and familiar. She sighed and closed the file.

"Fine," she told him. "But that's it. We throw stuff and then come back and finish the charting."

"Welcome to the dark side," he breathed in her ear. She closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them he was limping into his office. She shook her head and followed him. He smiled at her and held out a bag of grapes.

"Grapes?" she asked, taking the bag from him.

"We can eat while we toss," he told her.

She shook her head and followed him out of the office.

The main lobby was relatively quiet. A couple of nurses stood talking near the reception desk while a security guard walked slowly toward the front entrance. House and Cameron leaned on the railing around the balcony and watched the nurses talk.

"So," House began, popping a grape into his mouth, "why'd you marry Chase?"

Cameron glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She rolled a grape between her fingers. She tossed the grape and watched as it hit one of the nurses on the back of the head. House chuckled when the nurse looked over her shoulder.

"I married him because I love him," Cameron finally answered.

House tossed a grape, hitting the other nurse on the shoulder. "Tchh," he mocked. "No you don't. You want to think you do. You need to think you do. But you don't really. He's just an easy choice."

"You don't know what you're talking about," she said defensively. She bit into a grape and chewed it slowly.

House tossed another grape, hitting the first nurse squarely in the back. The two women turned and looked behind them. House laughed softly.

"You married him because you can't have what you really want," he told her.

"Oh?" she asked. "And what do I really want?"

House slowly sucked a grape into his mouth before turning to look at her. "Me."

Cameron looked at him incredulously. "I don't want you. I am over you."

"You wish you were over me," he smirked. "You wish you were all over me."

"You're an ass," she remarked as she tossed another grape and hit the second nurse on the butt. She and House jumped back when the woman looked up. They turned and quickly made their way to the elevators. Cameron jammed her finger on the button. They stepped into the elevator before the doors were completely open.

"You enjoyed that," House said with surprise.

Cameron smiled at him and shrugged.

"You miss me," House told her smugly.

"Haven't we had this conversation?" she asked. "Maybe you miss me. You keep asking me to come back."

"You want to come back, evidenced by the fact that you are now back on my team."

"Foreman's team," she reminded him. "You still don't have a valid medical license."

The elevator doors slid open and Cameron exited. House followed her slowly. She entered the Diagnostics conference room and sat back down at the table. House stopped beside her.

"I'm tired. Wake me if something happens with the patient," he told her. He limped slowly into his office and sank down into his Eames chair, swinging his legs up onto the ottoman. He propped his cane against the chair and leaned back, closing his eyes. Cameron rose and walked into the office. She sat down on the ottoman.

"You'll get your license reinstated. You just have to keep following up with your outpatient care," she told him.

He nodded but didn't open his eyes.

She reached out to touch his leg. "You did the right thing," she told him. "You always do the right thing."

He opened his eyes and grabbed her hand. He pulled and she toppled forward, sprawling across his lap.

"House," she gasped.

"I don't always do the right thing," he told her. "If I did you wouldn't be married to Chase."

"What are you talking about?"

He pulled her closer and gently pressed his lips against hers. She resisted for a split second before opening her mouth to him. His lips slanted across hers and his tongue slid into her mouth. She had forgotten how good he tasted. She had forgotten how good he felt. The memory of their only kiss rose up in her mind. She remembered how he had resisted for a moment before deepening the kiss she initiated. His mouth felt the same; his tongue was just as insistent as she remembered; his hands were just as gentle.

She pulled away from him, pushing against him. She stood, smoothing her hands down her thighs.

"I'm going to finish the charts," she told him. She was amazed at how calm she sounded.

She turned and got as far as the door when his voice stopped her.

"Or," he drawled, "you could take a nap with me here in my nice, big, comfortable chair."

"No."

"Come on," he taunted. "You know you want to."

She shook her head.

"All the cool kids are doing it. Don't you want to be cool?"

She laughed in spite of herself. "House," she admonished, laughing softly.

"Please," he said softly.

She looked at him and walked slowly toward his chair. He shifted and she sank down next to him. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I won't tell anyone that you succumbed to peer pressure," he whispered against her hair.

"Shut up, House," she laughed.

He slid an arm around her. "So, why did you marry Chase?"

"Why are you with Cuddy?" she countered.

"There's a saying," he said softly, stroking her hair. "You can't always get what you want."

"But," she told him, "if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need. Maybe that's what we've done."

"Do you really believe that?" he asked.

"No," she told him honestly. "You?"

"No."

"That's what I thought," she sighed.

"We're idiots," he remarked.

"Yep."

He continued to stroke her hair. "So, what happens now?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Any chance you'll leave Chase?" he asked.

"Any chance you'll leave Cuddy?" she countered.

"I asked you first,' he said.

"My answer depends on your answer," she told him.

"No fair," he whined, prompting a laugh from her. "I asked first."

She rubbed her cheek against the soft material of his shirt. "I don't know if I can."

"Not a good answer," he told her.

"Sorry, but it's the best I can do."

"Do you love me?" he asked.

"Yes," she told him. "Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"And if I leave Chase…"

House sighed. "I would probably end up hurting you. It's who I am."

She nodded. She sat up and looked at him. Titling her head, she smiled at him. "Let's go booby trap Wilson's office."

House smiled broadly. "That's my girl."


End file.
